Rent Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

Frustratingly Flat - Joker: Folie à Deux review by griggs

For one reason or another, I missed Joker: Folie à Deux whilst it was in the cinema. Now that it’s available on home media, my curiosity got the better despite the wave of negative reviews. I knew it was a musical—so no shock there—but what caught me off guard was how dull the whole thing felt.

Yes, the musical numbers are there, but they rarely elevate the material. Lady Gaga, is criminally underused, and whilst her performance has moments of brilliance, the script doesn’t give her enough to sink her teeth into. It’s not all bad—the production design is solid, and Joaquin Phoenix is as committed as ever—but it doesn’t land as a whole. A bold idea, sure, but one that falls frustratingly flat.

Tedious Mess - Joker: Folie à Deux review by GI

Director Todd Phillips was apparently given full control of this sequel to Joker (2019) to the point that he decidedly refused any contact or liaison with DC. That is very much to the film's detriment. I found the original film to be rather bizarrely overpraised and hyped and it was for me a wrong footed departure from the bleakness and dark narratives that were DC stories trademark. Here with this sequel we are given a very tedious, drawn out character drama that bears no resemblance to the character that has dominated the DC universe villainy. Some admire this because it's a sort of musical in some ways but really it's a warped romance and Phillips has been vocal in trying to convince everyone that this is not an origin story of 'The Joker' but about a character that probably influenced that adversary of Batman. Who knows but it seems a lame excuse for creating a story about one of the iconic superhero villains. Central to this film is a courtroom drama where the main character Arthur (Joaquin Pheonix), held in an asylum pending trial for the murders from the first film, is put on trial, his only defence being insanity. Whilst all that is going on he faces routine abuse from the asylum guards led by Brendan Gleeson and manages somehow to start a romance with Lee (Lady Gaga) who is some version of Harley Quinn. It all makes little sense, is very dull and at the end leaves you feeling rather fed up with the whole pretentious mess. A dud.

Even worse than Joker 1 - Joker: Folie à Deux review by Alphaville

If you found Joker 1 a distasteful bore, Joker 2 is unwatchable. Most of it consists of clichéd prison/courtroom scenes interleaved with ridiculous musical interludes where he cavorts to show tunes with Lady Gaga. Drama-free, flat, one-paced… The fast-edited trailer may lure an unsuspecting audience in, but there’s no energy in the film itself. It’s hardly worth wasting time reviewing it never mind attempting to watch it.

Utter garbage - Joker: Folie à Deux review by TC

Really a complete waste of time.

No idea what the point of this movie was.

So far removed from anything related to Batman and Joker.

No redeeming features at all.

Every bit as bad as they say it is - Joker: Folie à Deux review by JD

Obviously the performances were great, and Lady Gaga was in her element. While ive no time for her, she is clearly a talented entertainer.

But the film. What is it?

Taken as a batman film - it takes the most famous villain of them all and turns him into a sad, pathetic in-cel. HQ being his manipulator and emotional superior could of been an interesting twist on cannon, but its simply used to force the point the Joker is a complete nobody.

But what really destroys this as a Batman universe film is the recent Penguin series. This is just complete rubbish in comparison, both as entertainment and how it builds (or doesnt in this case) the villain.

If we take the film out of the Batman universe, then its just pure dull. Its a musical shawshank redemption (there are better examples but the film isnt worth thinking of it) but instead of being fantastic, it inverses that and becomes fantastically rubbish.

Its one of those films I honestly felt id wasted 2 hours of my life. I should of listened to the honest reviews.

Should have been just been called "Joke"! - Joker: Folie à Deux review by TG

I think this is the ONLY film I have ever given up watching half way through! Managed just over an hour and practically nothing happend. Joaquin Phoenix smoulds in a remarkable physical transformation as Joker, but whether he finally explodes or just fizzles out, I will never know. Nor do I care.

Awful - Joker: Folie à Deux review by Sal

I wasn't expecting a musical. I think this was more the Lady Gaga show. Joaquin can't sing either. Just a terribly awful movie. The fear they were going to burst into song any minute which they did. I don't dislike musicals but it was inappropriate for this film as the Joker is a great character and Joaquin played him well in the first film. Just felt this was all about Lady Gaga.